Breech-loading ordnance.



F.[KLAPUT.

v B REECH LOADING ORDNANCE. @Prue/mon man :un: 1s. |916.

` Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

' 1,217,959. L zsaEvETs-sliifv 2.

umm; nuns me mm1.. msmnnmn n c Y UNITED sTATEs PATENT `orlaioE. 7

FRANcIszEK KLAPUT, or WooDLAWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BREECH-LOADING ORDNA NGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 13917.

`Application led June, l1916. Serial 110,103,894.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Bc it known that l', lfimscisznx,KLAPUT, a subject ot' the llnlp'eror ofvAustria-Hungary. yresiding at `Woodlawmin the county of llcaver and' State oi'. llennsy1vania, have invented certain new and useful'lmprovements in breech-Loading Ordnance, vof which the following is a sliecification.

'lhis invention relates to newA and useful improvements in breech-loading ordnance.

p'lhe primary objectof the invention is the provision ol a vbreech-loading ordnance or cannoli arranged Wlth a retractable resiliently mounted member and a lit-ing device whereby a projectile may be positioned within the cannon and retained in place'until the firing means is released.

A` further object Iof the inventionristhe v provision of a ycannonl having a resiliently vfiring block, the said blocks mounted breech block and aspring operated eingl snnultaneously separated froln the cannoli for loading purposes and` .separately released for contacting the cannon during. the operation of thedevice. f v

A still further object is to provide a fbreech loading cannoli having a projectile elevating means operable during the release f the breech block and having a firing block tensioned during the closing .of the breech:

block whereby a release of the tiring block operates the cannon. y y

With these general objects in view and others that will appeal' as the n'ature of the invention is better understood, the saine consists inthe novel combination and arrangement of. parts .hereinafter fully described, illustrated. in the accompanying drawings and then claimed. l i Inthe drawingsforming a Ipart of this .application -andin which like designating characters refer to `corresponding parts throughout the several views-:

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe device partially in. vertical section in its set poy sition.

Fig. 2 isi-a top' plan view, thereof with i the breech block in its open position.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional viewtaken 'upon line III-III of Fig. .2.

'-Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of; the device, parts beingshown broken awayV and arranged inl their fired positions.

`i 5 is a perspective view of the breech block detached'yand y l Fig. 6 is a similar' view of of the cannon.

the ating cloak.l

Referring more in detail to the drawings, a cannon mount 10 is illustrated as arranged upon ground wheels ll'and having a cannonA 12 centrally secured to the top thereof and provided with. a breech piece 13 adapted for the reception ot' a cartridge or projectile such as 14- within' the shonh'lered yopen end 15 thereof constituting the `rear end of the vbore of the cannon.

Aframe- 16 is mounted upon the support lng carriage 10 rearwardly of thc carillon and opposite parallel guiderods li connect the said frame 16 with u t-ransverse beam 18 positii'med adjacent the rear end of the cannon. breech block lJv of substantially cubical. forni is provided with dian'ictrically arranged arms 20 having perfoiaitions 21- therethrough b v nicansof vwhich the breech v block is slidably arranged upo|r-the said rods 1T, while retractile springs 22 are arl head 26 of the said pin isv positioned slightly rearwardly of the rearA face ofV the Said block. The springs 2'. normally maintain tht-block 19in resilientcngagclnent;\vith the breech piece 13 ot' thc canmm while `rearwardly cxtemling operating roilsfgi' areal:- tached to the breech block arms '20 for forcibly moving the sa Inc rearwardly and holding thev breech block open during the insertion' of a projectile l-l within the breech piece 13 y A firing block 28 pro\'ided'.\vitl1*0ntj wardly extending-spaced lugs '29 is k:sliflably mounted lupon rearwardlyr extending guideL wirest() carried by thevbi'ecch block 19 and ffreely extending throl'igh perforations 31 l inj the central U-sh'aped, rearward extension @132 'of the cannon carriage frame 16, lfhe vfiring block-28 beinglnounted upon thc wires 30 by means of the lugs Ellis resilicntl connected to the adjacent face of theibreec I"block-119 by means of retractile coil=springs 33 connecting the staples 34 1n the rear face of the breech block 19' and similar stapls 35 i'nthe rear face ot' theliring block. 2S, Vthe tiring block being normally retained in reg silient engagement with the ring pin head V 26 as best illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

a 'ilVith the elements in their normal positions 'with the breech and firing blocks forwardly arranged, a rearward pull exerted upon the setting rods 27 brings the two blocks rearwardly. with the firing block 28 arranged within the rear. extension 32 of the frame 16 automatically allowing a latch hook 36 to. engage over a lug 37 upon the firing block thus retaining the latter in its set position while the breech block 19 is forcibly maintained rearwardly by means of the setting rods 27 until the projectile 14 has been positioned within the breech piece 13 in the manner hereinafter set forth. After the projectile has been so positioned the rods 27 are released allowing the springs 22 to bring the breech block 19 in setting engagementwith the rear face of the breech piece 15 which movement of the breech block tensions the firing block springs the Iiring block being maintained in its rear set position by means of the latch 3G. A depending handle 37 is carried by the latch 36 performing the lfunction of a trigger uponv the inward movement of which handle, the latch 37 is released from the lug 37 and the springs 33I then forcibly move the firing block 28 forwardly against the head 26 of the firing pin. 23, thereby projecting the pin into engagement with the cartridge 14 witlr in the Abreech .13 of the cannon.' The springs 22 being 'of much greater strength than the smaller springs 33, maintain the breech block 19 in its closed position while the firing block 28 is set in its retracted arrange nient.

Upright U-shaped seats 38 adapted for receiving a projectile 14 are carried by transverse `bars 39 of the carriage 10 in a plane beneath the planeof the cannon 12,' a hoisting arrangement being provided for elevat- .ing the projectile adjacent the receiving bore opening 15 of the cannon breech piece 13. A chain 40 is detachably arranged varound the projectile 14 and extends over an idler roller 41 journaled longitudinally between -the Aframe 16 and beam 18 and is attached. to a turn shaft 42 journaled longitudinallyv of the carriage 10 and operatively connected by suitable gearing 43 with a 0toothed'wheel 44 arranged at one side' of the gun carriage 10 and provided with a When the free end of the chain 40 is secured around the projectile 14, the projectile is forciblyv elevated within the members 18 by. turning the crank 45 and when positioned adjacent the breech block 13, the projectile may be readily inserted 'Within' the breech in its firing position as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

A From this; detailed description ofthe inyention it will be apparent that the cannon is readily operated by setting the firing block 28 and arranging the breech block 19 in its retracted position and then positioning the projectile 14 within the cannon, after which the breech block 19 is released allowing the same to position itself with the firing pin 23 engaging the projectile 14 with the Iirmg springs 33 fully tensioned. The latch 36 1s then released by the trigger handle 37 and the forcible contact of the firing pin head 2G with the firing block 28 operatively ex-l plodes the projectile 14.

vSuitable connections may readily be ar ranged between the breech block 19 and the axle 44a of the wheel 44 whereby the breech block is retracted simultaneously with tbe elevating of the projectile 14 during the turning of the crank 45 and such arrangement is included in the present invention. The provision of bands 44b connecting the breech block arms 20 with the revolving shaft of the operating wheel 44 is contemplated a's furnishing such'coj'ierating means and while the present arrangement is believed to be preferable, minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

iVhat I claim as new is 1. A piece of ordnance comprising a carriage, a cannon mounted thereon, a shiftable breech block resiliently attached to the said carriage in normal contact with the breech portion of the cannon, a shiftablc ring block resiliently connected to the said breech block and releasable retaining means for the liring block when in its set position.

2. A piece of ordnance comprising a carriage, a cannon mounted thereon and having a rearwardly 'arranged breech portion, guide rods upon the said carriage, a breech block slidably arranged upon said guide rods, a firing pin centrally positioned through the said. block in axial alinement with the said cannon, resilient connections betweenv the said breech block and carriage whereby the said block isnormally maintained in resilient contact with the said breech porti-on, and firing means for the said pin.

3. A piece of ordnance comprising a carriage, a. cannon mountetl thereon and:y having a rearwardly arranged breech portion, guide rods upon the said carriage, a breech block slidably arranged upon said guide rods, a firing pin centrally positioned through the said block in axial alinement with the said cannon, resilient` connections between the said breech block and carriage whereby the said block is normally maintained in resilient contact with the said breech portion, rearwardly arranged guide 'wires carried by the said block slidably positioned through the said carriage, a firing block'slidably mounted upon the said wires rearwardly of the. breech block and firing pin, retractile springs connecting the said tiring block and breech block', and a releasable latch for the said l'iring block.

throughthe said block in axial alinement with the said cannon7 resilient connections between the said breech block and carriage whereby they said block isy normally maintained in resilient contact with the said breech portion, rearwardly arranged guide wires carried by the. said block slidably positioned through the said carriage, av firing block slidably mounted upon the said wires rearwardly ofthe breech block and firing pin, v retractile springs 'connecting the said ring block and breech block, the said carriage' having. a rearwardly extending U-shaped central frame, within whichthe said firing block is arranged when in its retracted set posltlon, an. upright lug upon the said firing block,'and a spring pressed trigger -latch carried by the said .frame in engagement and coperative connections between .theI

said breech block and elevating ymeans whereby the breech block is retracted during the'operationpf the said means.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a carriage, a cannon mounted thereon having a breech piece, U-shaped supports arrangedbeneaththe plane of the said cannon, and adapted for the reception of a projectile, a winding shaft7 projectile hoisting chains attached to the said shaft,y and operating means for the said one side-of the carriage.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature.

FRANoiszEK KLAPUT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the, Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

shaft arranged at 

